Bubbles and Speak
by mwendyr
Summary: A surprise is planned and executed. Sequel to The Art of Healing Bruises. Chapter 3 added. C4 added by request.
1. Chapter 1

**Podie1 - **Your welcome and thank you :) Yes, there will be a story for Blasters, but since that episode is later it's not going to be yet but it will happen. :D

Summary: A fun night is planned and Mike has to find somewhere to go.

Pairing: Mike/Alex

Series: M/A, sequel to The Art of Healing Bruises (this one doesn't really need you to have read them but Meet the Parents would be one to read if you'd like but not essential)

Spoilers: Blind Spot, Maltese Cross and any before those really.

Disclaimer: LOCI and it's orginal characters belong to Dick Wolf (genius that he is) and the characters original to this M/A series belong to me. I don't own any of the films and other TV shows mentioned in this fic either. So, from all this you can pretty much say I don't own alot.

Reviews: Pretty please?

A/N Just some more fun ;)

**Bubbles and Speak**

Joanna Bennett, the sister of Alex Eames, rounded the table and sat herself down on the nearest chair with a thud. Looking at Katie Eames, her other sister, she smiled. "So?" Her dark, slightly curly hair waving around as she bobbed her head a little to get her older sister to talk.

Katie looked at Jo, noticing the questioning tone and the undercurrent of excitement. "So, what?"

Here they were sat in a cafe' drinking cappucinos and Jo had to bite back the remark about Katie being too much of a goodie-two-shoes to be able to wriggle her way out of this one, "You know." The grin on Jo's face was bright and full of mischief. Katie shot her a 'bored' look and shook her head, the small bright ponytail wiggling behind her. Jo sighed as well, "I want to know all about this Adrian you've been seeing?"

"No." Katie said, shaking her head, picking up her mug and taking a good sized gulp of her coffee. That was not a conversation she wanted to talk about. Looking at Jo and her pleading eyes Katie had to shake her head again, adding another "No." Trying to make it sound like the final word. "No." She repeated, "I know you, you're a gossip. I tell you - the whole world knows."

Jo gasped, offended. Putting her hand to her chest as if to say 'Moi?' "I'm hurt, Katie, really hurt." Katie gave her a soft look to say that wasn't what she'd meant to do, "I wouldn't tell everyone." Jo pouted and then added quietly, "Just Alex." Katie laughed, stubbornly choosing not to respond but Jo knew her older sister all to well, Katie was the soft one and all information could be brought out of her eventually, "Come on. Just give me a tidbit."

"You promise you'll only tell Alex?" Katie asked, looking for confirmation and sounding worried.

Jo nodded enthusiastically, "Yes."

"Good, so I don't have to tell you until later because we're going to see her tonight." Katie said, sitting back and not taking the bait, feeling proud of herself too.

Jo blinked, "Huh?"

"Oh yeah, we're surprising her." Katie felt smug at the fact she'd just bested her sister.

"We are?" Jo stammered. "Why?"

Katie smiled, "Because I thought a little girly night would cheer her up. So we're getting some girls together and we're going to go round tonight to see her. I've already checked to see if she's free, she is, although she doesn't know why yet." Jo smiled, trust Katie to think of someone elses needs.

"How come I didn't know?" Katie shot her a look to say that it was obvious. "I'm not a gossip. I don't ruin surprises." Jo heard a noise behind her and turned to see an older woman, pensioner, sitting down quietly and enjoying a cup of coffee but looking at them as Jo's voice had raised in volume. Looking at the woman she repeated, "I don't!"

The woman just shrugged and Katie laughed.

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Alex looked at the clock and once again berated herself for clock watching. The day had gone slow, no leads, no possible explanation for anything just more paper trails and interview notes to write up. Not very interesting and all she could think of was going home to bed and sleeping. Curling up in her favourite dressing gown and watching an old movie with a glass of wine. That's what she wanted to do, she hadn't done that in a long time.

Looking across at Bobby, his back hunched forward as he gave his full concentration to the interview notes. "Bobby?" She called out to him politely, but he didn't respond. His pen eagerly scribbling away at the paper. Sighing in frustration and pinching the bridge of her nose she tried again, more loudly this time, "Bobby!"

However it didn't seem to get his attention. _What was he thinking about? _So after another beat of frustration she grabbed her pencil and tossed it at him. He shook his head and then shot her a look, "Eames?"

She smirked, "Just checking... and wondering if you're done."

Bobby smiled, he knew what she was doing, he looked at his watch and then back at her. It was 6.30pm, he smiled again, "You know, Eames?" She looked at him, "I've nearly done this... i-if you you want to go that's fine."

Alex looked at him, hesitating for all of 0.2 seconds before standing up and gathering some stuff together, "That's great. Thanks, Bobby." She shot out of the door like lightning and Bobby shook his head as he watched her go, amused. _I had no idea Mike Logan was that exciting _Bobby thought to himself before mentally shaking those thoughts from his head altogether. He was happy for his partner and he truly wanted her to be happy, with everything she'd been through it seemed she'd managed to keep hold of Mike so in Bobby's mind he knew all he needed to know.

Alex wasted no time rushing towards her car; reaching it she was mildly surprised when a hand touched her shoulder. Put she recognised the scent of the man behind her and the surprise just faded away. She turned to him and smiled, "It's rude to sneak up on a person you know?"

Mike made a shrugging motion with his face, "Is it?" She laughed, "You going home?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"So, how come you get to escape and I've got to go upstairs and file reports?"

"No comment." She replied with a smirk. Mike chuckled and leaned in so that his breath was on her face. She could smell the strong scent of coffee and there was a hint of something she recognised to be a hot dog; typical Mike. Lifting herself up, she finished the journey for him and gave him a small peck on his lips.

Mike was about to pull her back to him, his arm in mid-air when he heard his partner call out, "Logan? You coming?"

Mike rolled his eyes, "Have you met my ball and chain?" Mike asked Alex, who grinned. Mike was finding it a little difficult to get used to his new partner, not because she was so young looking or because of her skills (she had plenty) but it seemed she was even more insistent that Ross be kept in the loop than most.

"Maybe you should get to know her better?" Alex suggested, reaching for her car door handle. "I'll see you later." He kissed her gently on the tip of her nose and then quickly rushed after Megan Wheeler, who shot her partner a very amused smirk.

Alex heard Mike say "What?" before she closed the car door and she laughed a little at him; as if he didn't know.

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"Are you sure she really wants us to be here?"

Jo and Katie shared a knowing look and then turned to shoot a 'yes' look at Megan Wheeler, the woman who'd asked the question as she sat in the backseat of the car with Carolyn Barek and Jessie Grant, a dusty blonde haired woman who was the same age as Alex.

"Well, actually, it's more of a 'she doesn't have a choice'." Jo corrected, smirking as Katie unbuckled her seat belt and made a move for the car door but was stopped when a hand touched her shoulder. Turning back around she saw Megan looking at her with a strange, hesitant look on her face.

Megan looked towards Alex's house, "Why did you invite me?" It had been bugging her all afternoon, ever since she'd got a call from Jo.

"Ah, that was me." Carolyn replied for Katie, causing Megan to look at her instead. "I know the two of you have met and-"

Megan interrupted with a cool expression and calm voice, "You thought that if I got to know my new partners' girlfriend then Logan would be more inclined to get to know me?"

Carolyn had to give the woman credit, she was good. Carolyn nodded, "Something like that."

Jo chuckled, "Actually, it was more of 'you and Carolyn know Mike really well as partners and he's dating my baby sister so I want the gossip'."

Katie rolled her eyes, "Jo." Her tone of voice almost disapproving in sound. Megan raised one eyebrow and suppressed a grin, opting to smirk at the woman instead.

There was an amused giggle and Megan looked to it's source; Jessie. "You two girls really do crack me up. I've missed this." She was referring to Jo and Katie, since they were the two women she knew. Jessie didn't know Megan or Carolyn but she knew Alex, simply because they used to go to High School together. Jessie was 5'6'', blonde and her long legs made her look taller. "Come on, I can't wait to see the surprise on her face." She quickly opened the car door and the 5 women stepped out of the car, grabbing their bags and things, and then waited for Katie to lock the car.

Reaching the door and ringing the bell they were mildy surprised to see the confused Mike Logan opening the door. He looked at them standing at the top of the steps and as he frowned he took in their bemused expressions. Figuring he was mirroring their faces he eventually grinned instead, "Ladies! What you all doing here?" He asked, going for the gentleman approach.

Jo grinned, "We're here for Alex."

Mike nodded, "Yeah, I figured as much." He stood aside and they piled in to the house. Mike raised an eyebrow at Megan, "Wheeler?"

She held her hands up, "Don't look at me. It wasn't my idea."

As Mike closed the door Alex walked into the room, she had wet hair from taking a shower but she was fully clothed, but the wet hair already had Jo jumping to conclusions that she probably shouldn't have been leaping to. "Hi." She said to her sisters, surprised to see them for a moment before remembering Katie asking her if she was free.

Spotting Carolyn she said, "Hi." again and she smiled at Wheeler but her third "Hi!" was more of a controlled, reserved squeal of delight aimed directly at Jessie, who waved at her and quickly rushed over to her to give her a tight friendly squeeze. Mike looked a little confused but he was amused by Alex's reaction to this unfamiliar woman; to him at least.

"Hi." Jessie quickly repeated, pulling back and looking at her long time friend. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah, I know." Alex agreed, nodding. "I've been so busy."

Jessie looked towards Mike and smiled, turning back to Alex with a suggestive look, "I'll bet." She winked and turned back to Mike whilst still talking to Alex, pretending to make it sound secretive, "You can fill me in on the details of that later." Alex shook her head amusedly and looked at Mike, who was trying not to say anything on the subject.

Alex looked at each woman in turn and took note of the bags they were carrying. "What's going on?" She asked, puzzled but suspiscious.

Jo looked at Katie, and Carolyn lowered her head trying not to smile too much. Jessie answered, "We're having a get together and we're pulling you into it too."

"Basically, sweetie, we're crowding your house again." Katie told her with a soft smile. Alex looked at them, unsure about being involved in what obviously looked like a party - she was tired but there was something about getting to do this that made it so much more appealing; she hadn't done anything with her friends for ages, especially Jessie. She looked at Mike, who shrugged with his face and shoulders, and then she looked back at Katie.

"Alright, sounds like fun." Alex agreed, nodding at them and not resisting to laugh at Jo's unique way of celebrating victory by slamming her fists in the air and almost jumping into the air in excitement.

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Now, all of them were sitting in Alex's living room, which didn't look big enough to fit six women in it, some were having to sit on foot stools and the floor but it didn't matter so much. "So, since you girls planned this you must already have an idea of what we're doing." Alex said, hinting at a question and looking directly at Jo and Katie, knowing full well that they must have been the ones to plan this. Jo saw what Alex was doing and quickly pointed at Katie, who didn't see Jo's finger aimed in her direction.

"Well, we have some ideas but we're going to leave them up to you." Katie said, "We bought lots of things." Alex looked at all the bags now situated in the middle of the floor and nodded.

"I can see that."

"So," Megan started, her arms folded loosely across her chest as she sat next to Carolyn. "What have you bought?"

"Well, obviously there is the wine." Jessie said, matching Jo's enthusiasm. Alex chuckled at her, of course Jessie would want wine, she always wanted wine. Alex could remember when they were teens and they snuck into Jessie's house to pinch some wine from her mother. "And we bought films, games..." She let her sentence trail off, "Mostly, I just wanna talk about you and this handsome fella I met just a few moments ago." Alex looked away from her, trying to stifle the smile that was spreading across her face. Jessie looked around the room, "Where is he?"

Alex prodded her thumb towards the kitchen, "Getting some beer."

Jessie grinned, "So, come on! Fill me in."

Amused at her friends antics but unsure of how to respond to that Alex just shrugged, "I don't know what you want me to say."

As Jo laughed at her sister, Jessie continued on, "His name, for example."

"Oh, I can tell you that." Jo said, beaming, "That's Mike." Katie rolled her eyes, wondering if Jo had already been drinking before she'd picked her up, but Katie knew Jo and that was just the way she was.

"You girls talking about me?" Mike asked, walking into the room with bottle of bud in his hand. Alex turned to look at him and she slowly nodded.

"This must be like a dream come true for you, Logan." Megan said, causing Jessie to frown and Mike to become confused, again.

"How's that, Wheeler?" He asked. Jessie looked at Jo and mouthed 'last names?' - Jo shrugged.

Megan smirked, "Well, this living room is full of beautiful women." Mike grinned and nodded, looking at each woman in turn but allowing his gaze to rest on Alex. No doubt in his mind who the most beautiful woman in the room was.

"Now see!" Jo called out excitedly. "That's why you're here!" Megan frowned. Jo pointed to Mike, "This tells me something about him." Mike looked at Jo and then back at Alex, frowning again.

"It does?" Katie asked, confused.

"Yes!" Jo exclaimed, passionate about it to the point where Alex was beginning to feel embarrassed. "This tells me he's got a reputation for being a ladies man!"

Alex groaned, "What difference does that make?"

Jo looked at Alex and smiled, "Lots."

Alex looked up at Mike, who was standing near her, he shrugged. It didn't matter to him, it made no difference what so ever what reputation he may have had as a ladies man, it seemed that reputation no longer existed, in his mind at least. "Okay." Carolyn said, causing them to look at her as she spoke up for the first time. "What do you say we pick something to do instead."

"Yeah." Mike agreed, nodding, "Do something else." He looked down at Alex who was silently laughing at him. "What will you be doing?" He asked, after a moment, suddenly wondering what exactly was going to be happening and whether he should physically bolt out of the room or something. Alex shrugged.

"Well we've got movies." Carolyn said, Mike looked interested, "But they're not the kind of films you'd want to watch."

"Oh?" Mike asked, doubting he wanted to hear the answer.

Katie nodded, "Yeah, they're chick flicks."

Mike groaned, "Beautiful." He said, sarcastically.

"Yeah, I mean we've got 'Down With Love'-" Jo started but Mike immediately put his hand up to stop her.

"Please, you don't have to continue. I get it."

"'Will & Grace' is on soon we can watch that first." Jessie said, putting another idea into the mix. "I love that show." Jo nodded to say she agreed.

Alex looked up at Mike, "You don't have to stay if you don't want to." Mike thought about it for a moment and then nodded, quickly putting his bottle down on the table and moving to grab his coat off the hook. Alex looked at the others and then stood up to follow him, but since her living room is right next to her front door it meant they could still see her. "So, where are you going?"

Mike pulled his coat on, "Just gonna go find Munch and Finn, probably have a few beers-"

"-and get wasted?" Alex finished for him.

He grinned, "You never know." She shot him a look, "I'll be back later." He put his hand on her cheek and pulled her in for a sweet kiss, that she immediately deepened by wrapping her arms around his neck. His lips moved and traced her cheek until he reached her ear and then with his arms wrapped around her waste and he just held her close, whispering into her ear, "I'll definitely be back later." Alex tried to suppress the giggle that threatened to escape. Letting go of each other, she waited for him to leave and then locked the door behind him.

As she walked back into the room the other women looked at her and she shrugged, "What?" They didn't respond, "What?" Alex repeated.

Jessie finally spoke up, "Do you need me to take him off your hands?"

Alex frowned, confused by Jessie's sudden serious tone of voice and bizarre question, "No."

"That's a shame." Jessie said, looking disappointed before grinning wildly, "He looks like a great kisser!"

Alex rolled her eyes.

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TBC

Please review. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Warning: If conversations eluding to homosexual relationships offend you then please don't read this.

**Bubbles and Speak**

The noise level in the room could only be described as loud. But the volume level came with excitement and with the addition of alcohol Alex was sure the neighbors would be round later with a complaint against her but it didn't matter.

She hadn't laughed this hard in absolutely ages. Something about sticking Jo and Jessie in the same room always meant there would be an erruption of laughter and side splitting moments to last a life time. The TV show _Will & Grace _was finished, the credits had already rolled and now it seemed they were hungry.

Alex rubbed her cheek a little, worried she was going to have to keep her mouth straight for days to recover from the 'chuckle muscle' ache she was getting right now. She stood in the kitchen, grabbing some items together such as chips, dips and chocolate. Thankful she had at least gone shopping at some point during the week to get some food in, although none of it was substantial but that didn't matter either.

"So, hon, when did you start using 2in1 hair products?" Alex stopped what she was doing and looked at Jo with a frown. "Your hair looks good though." Jo walked over to her and studied her hair.

"I don't use those." Was all Alex could say, silently wondering if Jo had perhaps had too much to drink and was now, finally, losing her mind. Alex grabbed the bowls and passed one to Jo so that she could help her. Jo took the bowl and followed Alex out of the room.

"So," She continued as they walked towards the living room, "Why do you have it in your bathroom?"

Alex shrugged, not turning to see Jo, "It must be Mike's." They walked into the room and Alex missed the expression that appeared on Jo's face. Jo raised an eyebrow, smirked and then seemed to cover it up when she looked at the others in the room. Katie and Carolyn were in a deep conversation about Bobby; from what Alex could gather it seemed Katie was curious to know how he was doing.

"So, how come his hair care stuff is in your bathroom?" Jo asked, standing right next to Alex but making sure the whole room heard. Katie looked up from her conversation, whilst Jessie stopped talking to Megan. Alex shot Jo a 'bored' look. As far as Alex was concerned Jo should've already known why that was. "Did you two move in together without me knowing?"

"No." Alex said, trying to reassure her sister. Jo liked to be informed about everything. "He just stays here. Why is that important?"

"I don't know why not." Jessie commented, causing Alex to look at her as the others started digging into the chips. "I'd move in with him in a heartbeat." Jessie snapped her fingers to show how quickly she'd do that.

Alex snorted, "I'll bet."

Jessie smiled softly, not missing the defensive tone of voice Alex was using, "I'm so glad you're in a serious relationship. When Joe died I honestly thought you would take up a vow of celibacy." Alex suddenly had a flash of her former husband's face flash through her mind and she understood where Jessie would have got that impression from. It's not like she'd rushed back into the dating scene but then who would? Jessie smiled and then turned to Katie, "So, let's change the subject for Alex's sake and let Katie tell us all about this Adrian."

Katie stared at Jo in surprise and hurt; Jo looked at Jessie with a scolding expression on her face. "Who's Adrian?" Megan asked, interested even though she didn't even know these women. If they wanted her to be there she was certainly going to take part.

"Yeah." Alex agreed, looking at her eldest sister, "Who is Adrian?"

Katie shot Jo a look, "You're in trouble." She then looked at the others, "Just some guy I've been dating."

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Mike walked down the coridor to his apartment, rummaging through his pocket to find his keys. He hadn't been home in a few days so he had to slow down whilst he tried to remember where his keys even were, he seriously hoped they weren't at Alex's house because if he went back it would look strange and they'd probably think he wanted to watch Down With Love with them or something. Mike shivered at the thought.

Turning the corner to reach his apartment he was surprised when he saw a man waiting outside his door. The man turned around and looked at Mike, who knew he had a shocked look on his face. "I knew you'd be here."

"Goren?" Mike asked, confused. "What? How?"

"I knew that they were planning a girls' night for Eames and I thought you'd need company."

Mike snorted, "Yeah?" Bobby nodded, slowly. Mike looked at him for a moment and then nodded as well, "Fancy getting a few beers?"

Bobby shrugged and then nodded, standing up straight and looking at Mike, who was slightly shorter than Bobby but not by much. "Sounds good."

"Great." Mike replied with reserved enthusiasm, "Let's go." He turned on his heal and they walked back out of the building.

---------------------------------

"Hold on."

Jessie looked at Alex, her face full of concern and worry, Alex looked back at her with a face full of confusion and questions. The moment Jessie had said those two words the whole room had come to a halt. "You were... kidnapped?" The shock in her friends voice was unmaskable. Alex looked at Jessie and sighed, "By a serial killer?"

Alex didn't quite know where this had come from. She knew the conversation had once again drifted back to why Mike seemed to be living with her, although that wasn't true as far as she was aware, and somehow Jessie had discovered what had happened 9 weeks ago and was now looking pale. "Well," Alex really didn't want Jessie to worry, she tried to make it lighthearted, "It was more a woman emulating a serial killer." She tried but nobody can turn something like that into a joke and certainly not the actual victim. Alex looked at Jo, "You didn't tell her?"

Jo frowned and quickly noticed how everyone was looking at her, "Seriously, I'm not a gossip. Why does everyone always assume that it'd be me?"

Alex looked back at Jessie, seeing the concern in her long-time friend, "Jess, seriously, I am fine."

"Promise?" She asked and Alex nodded. Jessie eventually agreed by nodding.

"Okay." Megan said, hoping that no one would mind if she tried to put some good mood back into the conversation, "Let's put the movie on."

"Actually." Alex said, looking at Mike's partner with a devilish smirk on her face as if she planned to embarrass the woman. "You've been sitting there, all nice and quiet. But since you're here and since everyone else has had their private lives displayed, I think it's only fair game to make it your turn."

Megan suddenly felt a little small by having five women looking at her, all agreeing that she reveal something about herself. But Megan recovered from that quickly. "What would you like to know?" She asked, calmly, smirking slightly as she knew they hadn't quite expected her to agree so quickly.

Jo grinned, "I'm game." She looked at Megan who matched Jo's look, but she could see the cheekiness is Jo's eyes like the question was going to be strange, "Have you slept with any of your partners?" Alex nearly choked on her drink, since she'd chosen that moment to take a sip. "Don't worry, hon, I don't mean her current partner." Alex shot her sister a look but then she turned to Megan to see if she was going to actually reply.

Megan shook her head, "No."

"Are you single?" Jessie asked, liking the way they seemed to be interrogating the poor woman.

"Yes and no." Megan replied.

"Ooooh." Jo said, enthusiastically, "Now we're getting somewhere." Megan looked at her, her lips tight together trying to stifle the smirk that was threatening to cover her entire face.

"That's a curious answer. I take it you're in a relationship that's not considered to be 'steady' but is 'heavy'." Carolyn said, in an analytical tone of voice. The word 'heavy' implying the obvious.

"Perhaps." Megan replied

Jessie chuckled, "You're really something. We're gonna have to go out sometime together." Megan looked at Jessie with a raised eyebrow; she definitely didn't see that comment coming.

Alex eyed her friend suspisciously, "When did you turn gay?"

But Jessie just shrugged. Megan frowned, "This seems to be a growing issue for me." She commented, looking at Jessie, "Are you?"

"Why do you wanna know?" Jessie asked, suggestively.

Jo laughed, Katie giggled and Alex was trying not to laugh too hard, amused she laughed whilst saying "Oh my God." Carolyn smiled and tried not to get involved.

Megan looked at her, giving her a look that told her she needed to answer her question first. "I might be." Jessie replied to Megan's question elusively.

Alex rolled her eyes, "You know she's pulling your leg, don't you?" Megan took her eyes of Jess for a small moment to glance at Alex before turning back.

"Maybe."

"Or you're pulling hers." Alex corrected. "I can't tell."

"Me neither." Katie agreed, watching Jessie and Megan with fascination.

"I had no idea." Carolyn said, seriously. Alex looked at her and shook her head.

"Y'know." Jo said, looking directly at Jessie, all too aware of the thick heavy atmosphere that was filling the room, the words being spoken were just bouncing off the silence like an echo. "Jess, I always thought you were into men. I mean, Megan's a lovely woman but don't you think she's lacking something?"

Jessie looked up at Jo and grinned. Megan also looked at Jo and she smirked.

"I knew it." Alex said, she said it with such enthusiasm and such spirit that everyone looked at her. She started laughing and this caused the calmness that had inhabited Jessie and Megan to dissipate and they began laughing with her.

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"So, was it your idea?" Mike looked at Bobby, who was fiddling with his bottle of beer as they sat in a semi-crowded bar with John Munch from Special Victims Unit.

Bobby shook his head, still peeling the label of his beer, "No."

"This is evidence of how much time you've been spending with this woman." Munch said to Mike, who nodded and then grinned, he had no problems with how much time he'd been spending with Alex. Munch continued on, analysing with a smile, "One - you're annoyed that this was planned without your knowledge. Two - the only thing you could do instead is go out drinking with _two _friends."

Mike looked at Munch, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "You trying make a point?"

Munch kept a cool face, "I always make a point."

Bobby laughed softly, "He-he does have a point, Logan."

"How's that?" Mike asked, not sure if he wanted to know the answer. He had this sneaking suspiscion they were ganging up on him.

"Well, you do spend alot of time with Eames to the point where you've got nothing to do without her." Bobby replied, taking the time to look at the man's face as he spoke, glancing at Munch as he did so, speaking slowly.

Mike looked at Bobby and then at Munch, "Are you saying I don't have a social life anymore?"

Bobby shook his head but Munch nodded, laughing a little, "That's what we're saying." Munch leaned over the table and gave Mike a buddy slap on his shoulder. "It's alright, it happens to the best of us. All men eventually lose themselves in one woman."

Mike refused to speak mostly because he wasn't sure what to say. It's not like he planned to go out and continue his social life exactly where he'd left it - picking up women in bars and having small but passionate affairs with women - but there was something almost frightening about what these two men were telling him. He'd become... domesticated. Without even realising it.

"Logan, it's a good thing." Bobby continued.

"Yeah?" He asked, sounding hopeful.

Bobby nodded and Munch replied, "If you're gonna settle down with a woman, you could do worse than Alex Eames." Mike shot him a look, looking a little offended but unsure how to take it, "Oh, that was a compliment."

Mike slowly nodded, "I can never tell with you."

"How do you know Eames?" Bobby asked, still stuck on the thought of Munch actually being able to make that statement and have some facts to back it up.

"We've met." Munch replied, calmly. Mike stared at him. "As in work." Both men still looked at him, waiting for an explanation. "It was when she worked Vice." Mike made a hand motion for him to continue but Munch just looked at him before taking a swig of his beer.

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TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Bubbles and Speak **

Mike spluttered and the drink that had been in his mouth had splattered across the table towards Munch. Munch took one hand and wiped his face, carefully wiping his glasses and putting them back on. Munch laughed, "It was a long time ago."

Bobby looked at Munch in suspended shock. Mike stared at his friend, not sure quite what to make of it. "Are you being serious?"

"Always." Munch replied, with an air of coolness that would give anyone pause for thought.

Mike looked thoughtful for a minute, glancing at Bobby and Munch several times before speaking again, "Wasn't she married then?" He asked, after a moment of silence.

Munch looked at Bobby and then back at Mike, "I try to avoid married women. I don't think she was when I worked with her."

"You're pulling my leg aren't you?" Mike asked, both hopeful and annoyed.

Munch shook his head, "Not this time."

Bobby watched as Munch and Mike began looking at each other, both seemed to be analysing the other; waiting for a move from one another. "How about we play pool?" Bobby asked, hopeful, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at the two men.

"You know it's all in history, right?" Munch asked, sidestepping Bobby's neutral suggestion.

Mike leaned back in his chair and nodded slightly, "That's where it stays."

Munch couldn't stifle the smirk that lit up his face but he nodded as well. "Pool?" Munch asked, looking at Bobby at the same time Mike did.

Bobby nodded, cautiously. He wasn't sure their conversation had really ended. "Yeah, there's - uh - a table free."

"Right." Mike said, standing up, picking up his beer and taking it with him, knowing that the other two followed him without hesitation.

When they reached the table Munch looked at it thoughtfully and then turned back around to see Bobby standing behind him, "You know there is a flaw in your plan." He spoke, calmly, "Pool requires two players and there are three of us."

"It's alright." Mike said, sitting on what of the side chairs. "You two play first." Munch looked at Mike with a raised eyebrow and Bobby looked at him in concern but they both nodded in agreement.

"Let's set it up." Munch said, grabbing the equipment required to play the game, passing them to Bobby who quite expertly put them on the table.

-------------------------------

"How _much_ has she had to drink?"

Megan looked at Alex, who shrugged in response. Both dumbfounded by the sight of Jo standing on Alex's coffee table singing _'We Are Family' _out of key but she seemed to be enjoying it anyway. "I've got no idea."

"Somebody needs to tell her she can't sing." Carolyn told them, standing with the others and away from Jo.

"You see, that's the thing. She can sing." Katie said, "Normally."

"Jo, c'mon!" Alex raised her voice, hoping to get her sisters attention, "You're gonna have the neighbors round in a minute wondering why we're strangling cats in here!"

Jo shot her a look but she didn't stop singing. "We are family, hey hey hey, I got all my sisters with me..."

"Unbelievable." Jessie commented, sarcastically. "I can already your Mom telling her of a million flaws with her singing."

Alex and Katie laughed, that would be true. When they had been younger their mother had insisted that they sing in choirs and similar things because Maggie Eames had been a singer herself, so she felt that all her children should be involved, but it also meant that if they sang out of key they'd be in trouble.

"Right." Alex said, putting on her best cross voice. "Get down from there." She walked over to Jo and began tugging on her arm. Alex could hear Jessie laughing at them but she was relieved when Katie and Carolyn came to help her. Jo fought them off but they didn't give up so easily.

"Hey." Jo said, finally her singing had come to an abrupt halt. She looked at them but she wouldn't get down.

"C'mon Jo." Katie said, softly. "We're gonna watch your favourite movie now."

Jo stood down from the table and looked at her sister, incredulously. "Alex wants to watch _Dirty Dancing_?"

Jo looked at Alex, who reluctantly nodded, "Yeah, sure. I'll give it a go."

"Oh, you're gonna love it." Jo squealed in delight, wrapping her arms around Alex, obviously drunk. "It is the best film!"

Alex put on a fake smile and gave her sister a friendly hug. When Jo pulled away from her and looked at Alex, she nodded and couldn't keep the sarcasm from her voice, "Yay. I can't wait."

------------------------------------

Bobby had lost his game of pool to Munch so now it was Mike's turn to play. Mike looked at Munch whilst he held the cue. Bobby watched with fascination. The tense atmosphere of this game was proving to make it more interesting. Both men were taking it very seriously. Each move was being considered... and considered. Bobby knew it wasn't the game that was causing this level of concentration, it was the revelation that had been revealed earlier on.

This meant the game was personal and as a spectator Bobby knew it would be a fun game to watch, for him anyway. No words were being exchanged between the two players just scowling looks and studying each other, both whilst they are making their move and when they weren't.

For Bobby the match was also progressing slowly, time seemed to be slowly down for this men, although he suspected it was more so for Mike than Munch. He knew that Mike was probably feeling an irrational amount of jealousy and Munch was probably playing off it like energy. Bobby could've walked away there and then and no one would know, they were so involved in the game that they couldn't see beyond the table and their oponent.

When someone spoke it was if time regained it's normal speed. "Make your damn move." Mike ordered with a sigh.

Munch raised an eyebrow at him, "I'm calculating."

"This isn't mathematics, it's pool." Mike commented, pointing towards the pool table.

"Perhaps." Munch looked at his oponent, "It's a sport and with all sport there is a science involved."

"Oh, geez!" Mike sighed again, looking at Munch but he did find it funny, not that he'd show it. "C'mon! Make you move!"

Munch looked at him, twirling his cue stick in his hand as if he was purposely annoying Mike, "I will when I'm ready."

"Oi." Mike groaned. "I'll be over there." He pointed to the seat next to Bobby and quickly walked over to it. Sitting down whilst his cue stick rested on the floor and was leant against the wall.

Bobby looked at Mike and then smiled slightly, "You know-" Bobby started, kindly, "-It was a long time ago."

Mike twisted his neck and looked at him, "What was?" Mike asked, playing dumb.

"Never mind." Bobby knew what Mike was doing, he didn't want to talk about it so Bobby let the subject drop. Mike turned away from him and kept his eyes on Munch as he played his shot, finally.

"There." Munch said, smiling slightly. "Happy now?"

Mike stood up and walked towards the table. "Deliriously."

--------------------------------

He had a tension headache the size of a state. He knew he shouldn't have one because it was ridiculous but he couldn't help the way he felt. He'd known about the husband but to think she was with Munch... no, he didn't want to think about it would do his head in for life. Unlocking the front door he walked in quietly and heard the remnants of a song about having the time of your life. Confused, he walked into the living room to see that a DVD was playing but the women had fallen to sleep on each other, on the sofa and on the small chairs.

He hadn't realised that a girls night in was so exhausting but then he saw the empty bottles of wine, several, and realised that it was probably the alcohol that had done it. As he looked around the room he noticed an absence. Confused he quickly checked to see if she was there and when he realised she wasn't he quickly walked around the house to see her.

He felt relief when he saw her in the kitchen. "Hey." He whispered, not wanting to wake the others up.

She turned around and smiled at him, "Hey, I thought I heard you come in."

He walked over to Alex and stood next to her, smiling a little but holding back. She frowned a little but then she just covered it up by smiling as well. "How did it go?" He asked, pointing towards the living room.

"It was good. As you can see they're all asleep now."

"You're not tired?" He asked, knowing she was, he could see she was.

She shrugged, "I didn't drink enough I don't think. I'm in here because the film wasn't really very good."

"Oh, so, the film sent them to sleep." He said, nodding with a small smile on his face.

She laughed, quietly. "Yes." Crossing the distance he'd kept between them, she wrapped her arms around his body and rested her head on his chest. Without hesitation he used his own arms to pull her as close as humanly possible. "Did you have a good time?" She asked, not moving and not looking up.

He nodded, "Yeah, sure."

She frowned again although he couldn't see it. "Yeah?"

"Hmm." He mumbled an answer and that just deepened her frown. She pulled away from him and gave him a soft smile.

"Let's go to bed." That got a more enthusiastic response from him. He nodded and grinned. She laughed a little and then they walked out of the kitchen. She stopped and turned back towards her living room to switch the TV off.

When they reached her bedroom he finally spoke up, "So you and Munch?" He asked.

As she closed the door she pulled a face that he couldn't see, it was oh-my-god-he-knows-about-that-what-does-he-want-me-to-say-it-happened-years-ago. She turned to him and smiled, shrugging, "What about it?"

Mike paused for a moment, the words he was going to say suddenly seemed inappropriate. "I, uh, didn't know he was your type."

Giving him a confused smile because she recognised the jealousy but she didn't expect it, "He's not."

Now he looked confused, stumbling over himself for a second, "What?"

She looked at him, walking over towards the bed but standing at the opposite side of him, "He's not my type." He waited for her to continue with an explanation, "Look it happened years ago." She sighed, "Joe had not long died and Munch happened to be-" She paused, trying to find the right word, "-there."

"It was a one night stand?" He asked, for clarification.

Alex snorted, "Are you jealous?"

"No." Mike answered, too quickly.

"Over something that happened 8 years ago?"

"I'm not... No."

She watched him for a moment and then she nodded, "You don't need to be jealous about it. It didn't mean anything then and it certainly doesn't now."

"I'm not jealous!" Mike denied again but Alex just smiled at him.

"That's okay." She said, "I know you are. I know I would be."

Mike frowned, "What?"

"You see, you've got this huge reputation for being a bit of a ladies man... If I was to meet one of these-" She paused, watching him, "-ladies, I would be jealous too."

"I'm not jealous!" Mike continued to deny.

Alex shot him a look, "Uh-huh."

"I'm not." Mike insisted, "I've got no reason to be." Still standing at opposite sides of the bed, Alex smiled and just looked at him with an amused but determined expression on her face. Mike looked at her for one more second before sitting down at the bed and sighing, "Fine, I was jealous."

Victory, Alex smiled and sat down on the bed too, closing the gap between them and placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. Smiling she said, "I love you too."

Finally, a smile crept on his face and he twisted so that he was facing her and without hesitation he gave her a kiss that was deepened within seconds. Without thought to who was in her living room, they began tugging at each others clothes, desperate to get them off so that they could feel each others skin. The best way to get ready for bed.

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_What do you think? Good? Bad? Anything missing? Please leave me a review. :) _


	4. Chapter 4

For** LoganBarekFan **who made the request for this extra chapter. So I made this extra scene for you to enjoy.

I hope it doesn't disappoint. :)

**Bubbles and Speak **

Alex opened her eyes to the sound of someone pottering about in her house, when she turned around she felt alarmed because Mike was in the bed with her so she knew it wasn't him. Sudden fear gripped her for all of two seconds before she remembered the events of the night before. After fear came the relief, she didn't even realise it but she sighed as the relief overwrote the fear like hitting delete button on the computer.

After relief came confusion. What were those women doing? Despite the fact she wanted to stay next to Mike, comfortable in her bed with his body pressed up against her as he slept soundly, she pulled back the covers slightly - resisting the urge to cover back up when the air hit her body - completely forgetting that she hadn't been wearing anything when they'd finally fallen to sleep. Stepping out of a bed she grabbed the nearest piece of clothing she could find - her dressing gown - and then once she was wrapped up, and everything that needed covering was, she stepped out of her room and headed towards the sounds of banging pots and boiling water; her kitchen.

"Hey." She greeted them as four of the five women (minus Katie) that had stayed over looked at her, almost scoldingly for making such a cheery sound. Alex still smiled, she wasn't about to show sympathy for self inflicted pain in the morning.

"Morning." Grumbled Jo, her fingers tightly gripping a hot steaming mug of coffee.

Alex pulled a face and looked at her sister with mock happiness, "Morning sunshine!"

"How are you so cheerful in the morning?" Megan asking, her hand messaging her head as the hangover headache was in full swing.

Alex smiled, "Easy. I don't drink to begin with."

"She says that like it's a solution, have you noticed that?" Jessie said, also looking crumpy. The women looked like a serious mess and Alex was suddenly thankful Mike was asleep, these women couldn't been seen by anyone.

"Maybe not that but she definitely had one solution." Jo said, allowing her grumpiness to subside for one moment before she let it return.

Carolyn, who was sat down next to Jo, looked at her with curiosity.

Alex frowned but it didn't look like Jo was going to elaborate. "Where's Katie?" Alex asked, changing the subject.

Jessie held up her hand to say she knew and Alex waved her own hand to prompt some kind of verbal response. Last time Alex checked she didn't have the ability to read people's minds. "Oh, she, uh, she had to go and fetch those lovely kids of hers from your parents house early this monring."

Alex looked at them, "If she feels as bad as you guys look then I'm surprised she even managed it out the door."

Carolyn chuckled before regretting the action, suddenly in need of that kettle to boil and for some fresh coffee to be made. Carolyn stood up to go towards the kettle but Alex held out her hand. "I'll do that." Well, she had guests, she might as well as treat them like such. Carolyn smiled gratefully and sat back down, uncontrollably groaning as the move made her feel woozy. Alex tried so hard to hold back the laugh but she did make some kind of chuckling sound that made all of them look at her with frowns.

"Seriously." Megan moaned, "How are you so cheerful in the morning?"

Alex turned to her and shrugged, passing Carolyn a mug of coffee.

"I told you." Jo replied for Alex, "She's got a magical solution."

"Oh?" Alex asked, curious about what insight Jo might've had on this magical solution of hers.

Jo opened her mouth to respond but it was cut off by a masculine voice of exclamation, "Geez! What the hell did you ladies drink last night?" They all turned to look in the doorway, to see Mike standing in the frame wearing some slacks, looking fully rested and relaxed. Alex passed him a coffee and finally poured one for herself.

Carolyn looked up at her former partner but she couldn't stomach speaking a response she just settled for a grunt and then she lowered her head into her arms. Alex laughed a little and walked towards Mike, putting her finger to her lips, "We should probably leave them alone for a little while." Alex whispered. Mike nodded, mouthing the word 'oh' before he started to turn to walk out of the room.

Before they could do so they were stopped by the throaty voice of Megan, "Jo? This magical solution, what is it? And where can I get some?" Megan cleared her throat, well aware of the scratching sound that had just escaped it.

Jo chuckled slightly, wincing a little but she looked up at Mike and Alex, "Ask them."

Alex and Mike both had matching frowns as they looked at the four women with curiosity.

"Well?" Megan actually asked them.

Jessie began chuckling, "It's alright I don't think we can bottle that one."

Megan turned to Jessie with a frown on her own face, the freckles that were sprayed over her skin were folding around her nose and her brow.

Alex looked back towards Mike, both confused and unsure of what they were referring to.

"Is there an explanation?" Carolyn asked, also confused but clearly Jo and Jessie knew something that no one else did.

"Yeah." Jo said, with a smile that hid her discomfort from her hangover. "I went to the bathroom last night and I heard something." Jo looked at Alex. Alex's frown slowly dissolved into recognition and realisation, it was then followed by an expression of discomfort and embarrassment. "Oh yeah. You should learn to be a little bit quieter." Alex looked up at Mike to see he also knew what they were getting at but he wasn't embarrassed; he seemed to look smug with himself.

A short, amused laugh finally escaped Megan's throat. Her hand quickly flew to cover her mouth as she tried not to laugh out too loud at the revelation. Carolyn gasped amusement and looked at the two of them with a small smile. However, Jo just couldn't contain herself. Any opportunity to embarrass her baby sister was worth taking so the laughter that errupted from her was to be expected.

Jessie looked at Alex and gave her a supportive smile, "It sounded like you had fun." She winked at both Alex and Mike before she turned around to pour another coffee, not caring about the caffeine high she was providing herself with but she just wanted to cover her amusement at her friends' embarrassment.

Jo stopped laughing to hold her hand tightly with her hands, wincing from the shooting pain.

"Ha. Serves you right!" Alex scoffed.


End file.
